Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-25275

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has consulted the Council of Economic Advisers on full fiscal autonomy and, if so, what view it expressed.

Question reference: S4W-25273

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it accepts the analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies that there would be a £7.6 billion gap in public finances with full fiscal autonomy.

The Scottish Government believes that the analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies does not provide a meaningful description of the fiscal position in a fiscally autonomous Scotland as it simply projects forward Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland.

The fiscal position would depend on a range of factors including the transition process, the negotiated fiscal framework between Scotland and the rest of the UK, Scotland’s contribution to UK wide public services such as defence and international aid, as well as the decisions made by the Scottish Government about economic policy, public spending and borrowing.

Question reference: S4W-25345

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding for the drug, Translarna, would be available from the New Medicines Fund and, if so, in what circumstances.

Question reference: S4W-25343

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether people with muscular dystrophy can be prescribed the drug, Translarna, by the NHS.

Question reference: S4W-25344

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the New Medicines Fund was spent in 2014-15.

Question reference: S4W-25269

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains its position that the referendum on independence will be a once in a generation opportunity, as noted in the response to question 557 on page 556 of its white paper on independence.

Question reference: S4W-25220

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how spending by innovation centres is managed and whether it plans to audit the spending.

Question reference: S4W-25219

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on target to create 2,000 jobs by 2018 from its investment in innovation centres.

Innovation centres will help to ensure that Scotland continues to be a pioneer in sciences, innovative technology, ideas and development. Their business plans indicate that they have the potential to create up to 5,000 jobs in their first five years. The innovation centres are steadily building their infrastructure and engaging with businesses to identify projects with the greatest potential for impact on the Scottish economy and wider society.

Question reference: S4W-25346

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 30 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many specialist neuromuscular care advisers the NHS employs; what their specific responsibilities are, and where they are based.

Workforce data published by Public Health Information (PHI, formerly Information Services Division) does not specify the number of specialist neuromuscular care adviser (NCA) posts in Scotland.

The Scottish Government funded a two year pilot project to assess the need for neuromuscular care advisors; one post in each of the regional planning group areas. Currently there is a NCA based in the west of Scotland and one in the south and east.

The role of the NCA includes: emotional support throughout the patient journey; integration with health and social care multi-disciplinary teams; signposting information and referring to appropriate specialist services; educating patients, families, health and other professionals; and enabling self-management.

Question reference: S4W-25347

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 30 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether a specialist neuromuscular care adviser is (a) in post and (b) providing a service in the north of Scotland.

There is currently no neuromuscular care advisor (NCA) post in the north. The NCA post in the north of Scotland was a project funded for two years with an end date of 31 December 2014. The North of Scotland Planning Group (NOSPG) did not support continued funding as it did not feel that one regional care advisor post in the north was the optimal model for improving neuromuscular care. However, the NOSPG recognised the valuable learning informed by the temporary role of NCA. They will be taking forward a recommendation to bring together the relevant specialist clinical services in the north of Scotland to articulate an improvement plan for implementation over the coming months.

In addition there are two part time neuromuscular physiotherapy posts in the north of Scotland (Dundee and Aberdeen) who support paediatric physiotherapy for this group of patients. The north has also appointed a part time neuromuscular physiotherapy co-ordinator to work with all services to ensure that patients have appropriate access to allied health care professional support.